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Patient evaluation of end-of-life care

Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, e.voogt{at}erasmusmc.nl

Agnes van der Heide

Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Anna F van Leeuwen

Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Adriaan Visser

Helen Dowling Institute, Centre for Psycho-oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Carin CD van der Rijt

Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Medical Oncology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Paul J van der Maas

Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The Dutch health care system is characterized by a strong emphasis on primary care. To get insight into the strengths and gaps in end-of-life care in the Netherlands, data are needed about use and patient evaluation of end-of-life care. We assessed the experiences of patients with end-of-life care during the last months of life. We followed 128 patients with incurable lung, breast, ovarian, colorectal or prostate cancer. At inclusion they were interviewed personally at home. During follow-up, every 6 months, we asked them to fill out a questionnaire on the end-of-life care they had received. One-hundred of them died during the research period. Eighty-seven of the deceased patients were able to fill out a questionnaire in the last 6 months of their lives. They reported that, on average, 4.2 disciplines were involved in their care. Most patients indicated to be satisfied with the care offered by their caregivers. Problems in end-of-life care concerned communication, difficulties in coordination, accessibility of end-of-life care and responding quickly to acute problems. We conclude that comprehensive and interdisciplinary end-of-life care may address patients' needs, but that it simultaneously is a challenge to optimal communication among disciplines and between caregivers and the patient. Palliative Medicine 2007; 21: 243—248

Key Words: cancer • end-of-life care • multidisciplinary • patients • problems • quality

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 21, No. 3, 243-248 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0269216307077352


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